Assistance for Severe Weather and Flooding that occurred in December 2023 and January 2024 Residents of Kent, Providence, and Washington counties, who were affected by severe storms and flooding that occurred between December 17-19, 2023, and between January 9-13, 2024, can apply for federal assistance. Homeowners and renters who received property loss or damages by either disaster in those counties have until May 20, 2024, to apply. When applying for assistance, you will need to describe what damage(s) happened on which date to ensure you’re applying under the correct disaster.FEMA Assistance - Several ways for homeowners and renters to apply. 1. Visit the Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) at: Curtis Corner Middle School 301 Curtis Corner Road Wakefield, RI 02879 - Hours of operation: 8 a.m.– 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays. Closed Sundays. 2. Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Help is available in most languages. 3. Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov (also in Spanish). 4. Download the FEMA mobile app (also in Spanish), available at Google Play or the Apple App Store. To view an accessible video on how to apply visit Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance - YouTube SBA Assistance - Ways to apply for low-interest disaster loans available to businesses and residents in Rhode Island 1. Visit the Business Recovery Center (BRC) at: North Providence Public Safety Complex 1835 Mineral Spring Avenue North Providence, RI 02904 - Hours of operation: 9 a.m.– 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. Closed Sundays. 2. Apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. 3. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 4. Email: disastercustomerservice@sba.gov To view an accessible video on how to apply for SBA visit Reasons to apply for a SBA Loan.
Public Assistance Program The Public Assistance (PA) Grant Program is designed to provide supplemental financial assistance to state, local, and tribal government and certain types of private non-profit organizations whose buildings or infrastructures were damaged by a disaster. The grant can be used for costs associated with response and recovery from major disasters or emergencies after a declared presidential declaration. Every debris removal, emergency protective measure, repair, restoration or replacement of a damaged facility identified by the State or local representatives is considered a project that is eligible for PA reimbursement. PA Process After a disaster, the state does a preliminary damage assessment (PDA) to determine the extent of damages and economic impact on the entire state. When the PDA is complete, the State decides whether to request federal assistance (the decision is made on a county by county basis). If a request for a presidential declaration for PA is granted, the PA process can begin: Applicants’ Briefing: Agencies or organization who may apply for PA learn about the eligibility requirements and what costs will be reimbursed by the federal government (The federal government pays at least 75% of approved costs/projects. The municipality or organization is responsible for remaining costs.) Request for Public Assistance: An eligible applicant completes an application to make an official request for PA. Kickoff Meeting: State and/or federal officials meet with individual applicants who have been approved to receive PA. Officials review details of approved projects and answer questions specific to the applicant and/or the project. Project formulation: The applicant provides detailed documentation on scope(s) of work and cost(s) incurred for the project. Project review: Federal officials review documentation and validate that all expenses are eligible for reimbursement. Obligation: Funds are forwarded to the State, and the State pays the applicant. Project closeout: Applicants submit all required documentation Additional Resources FEMA Public Assistance forms FEMA Public Assistance Policy & Guidance Local roads included in Federal Aid System State of Rhode Island Master Price Agreement 388: Emergency Management & Homeland Security Public Assistance Trifold PDF file, about 9mbmegabytes Request for Public Assistance Form PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes